1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a panic-proof lockset having a deadbolt and a latchbolt and more specifically to a panic-proof lockset wherein a slide means is provided which is movable in response to retraction of the spring latch to simultaneously retract the deadbolt and wherein the slide means is in tension when acting to effect retraction of the deadbolt.
2. Background of the Invention
Panic-proof locksets are known in the art. In most of the known panic-proof locksets the construction is such as to be expensive, unnecessarily complicated, and unreliable. The complexity of such devices leaves much to be desired in providing a panic-proof lockset which is reliable, simple in construction, and yet economical.
One known problem associated with known panic-proof locksets is that when it is necessary to retract both the spring latch and the deadbolt with a common mechanism, sometimes one of the latches is fully retracted before the other is retracted. In such a case the fully retracted latch sometimes "bottoms out" and acts to limit further operation of the common operating mechanism, thus, preventing retraction of the other latch which is not fully retracted. Hence, the door associated therewith will not open and a dangerous situation exists. The nonsimultaneous retraction of the spring bolt and deadbolt can be due to varying dimensional tolerances caused either by wear of the lockset or manufacturing inaccuracies.